School Trip to Morocco

[Goldsand]

My DDs secondary school have just announced they will be doing a school trip in the next school year to Morocco for my daughters year.

It’s normally Iceland but they have changed it to Morocco this time.

A couple of other mums have said they won’t be sending their kids as they don’t think it’s safe to send their teen girls there.

Iv never been personally but I thought it was a safe country overall.

However, now I’m doubting myself …. I was going to agree to her going even though i think it’s steep as it’s over £1,000.

So…

YABU - It’s safe, don’t worry about it.
YANBU - I would never send my teen child there on a school trip.

Nope, No and No again!!!

Hope the school have told the parents that the children will need jabs atleast 6 weeks before they go!

My friends is from Morocco and she says women get very badly treated there. They have very few rights.
it might be ok for a holiday.... and camping in the desert sounds absolutely amazing!!!
I have another friend (white British) who goes there on holiday and loves the place. She hasn't said anything bad about it.

My DD would like to go, but not sure if any of her friends will be going. It is very steep!

Lawandgin, terrorism is funny now?

My DD went to Morocco for a Geography field trip pre GCSE and she had an amazing time, she is at uni studying Geography.

I had several concerns but it was with a reputable company who organise school trips plus DD's school have been going for years. They stayed in Marrakesh for the night. Then onto Imli in the Atlas Mountains for 3 nights in a small riad whilst they did their river field work then another night in Marrakesh. They also visited a girls school which is part of a charity and took presents of books, stationery etc.

What I was reassured by was the fact that they were escorted by local guides the whole trip, who apparently were lovely, and not just teachers.

I'm not sure I would be as happy with camping and especially as two young European girls were murdered. Having said that they were not on a guided trip and did not have any security. My DD only felt worried once in Marrakesh as a stall holder wouldn't take no from the girls and the local guide told the stall holder off very firmly.

I would be asking lots of questions about the security. Also be very aware that girls need to wear demure dress at all times, so baggy harem trousers and maxi skirts and no bare shoulders. My DD and her friends said it was the best school trip.

Why not find out what the plan is and read the Foreign office advice for travellers rather than jumping to immediate assumptions. ( I assume Iceland would have cost far more than £1000)

why don’t you read the foreign office advice? Note, I screen shot it further up the thread!

Honestly the load of absolute nonsense in this thread. Yes there are differences in culture, yes there are different rules and you will need to respect those but it’s a school trip, not a trip to some kind of jihadi paradise. Morocco is a lovely country, with lots of history and culture and great food.

If I had a child that age who had the opportunity to go on such a trip, I would be sending them. It’s important to learn differences and if she doesn’t like it, at least she’s experienced something new.

Dd this year 8 summer had her best trip ever 4 miles from our house. They stayed at a local very grand private school for 4 nights did lots of fun organised activities with her friends games and it was a heatwave so they spent most of their time in the river swimming and paddleboarding. She really bonded with the supervising teachers came back high as a kite. Cost couple of hundred quid and minimal environmental cost too.

PC - How refreshingly open minded of you on such a fearful thread

It's not racism to want to protect your daughter from unwanted male attention, or worse.

Yay so lovely for a young girl to “experience something new” by being non stop hassled by perves. Brilliant!

Avid, unwanted male attention is a worldwide issue, not just Morocco

I've been to marrakesh for a long weekend. It was fun and nice to see something a bit different. I would go again but I wouldn't pay a grand for a 12 year old to go there on a school trip.

Mstswift, this doesn't happen

interested to hear if some of the “isn’t morocco marvellous” crowd have actually travelled in these countries as young women? Because I have and it was fucking awful.

Oh it does my dear!

Morocco is perfectly safe to visit, although the trip sounds quite expensive.

No I wouldn’t let my daughter go to a non-Western country. Not until she was grown up, and even then I’d be a bit nervous. It’s not worth the risk.

Yes it does unfortuantely 🙁

Been to Morocco and Tunisia with my teenage daughters. Really not safe on their own.

That's because the teachers are working while they are there. Do you expect them to pay to go on school trips? It is really hard work, with a high level of responsibility.

I travelled solo to Marrakesh and love it. The only thing that gives me pause for concern is the price. £1,000??? I travelled for a fraction of that and I didn't have the buying power of a large group.

My friend and I ended up unable to leave our hotel room in Cairo. We dressed modestly no make up and we were both dark haired. Made no difference we were western, young, female and unaccompanied.. Every time we left the room men of all ages said and did disgusting things. When we used the hotel pool the waiters lined up to watch us swim some wanking. Fun times.

My parent's went to Morocco years ago, I think in the 90's. My mother told me they saw a lot of animal cruelty in the market places. I didn't ask her to elaborate for fear of what I'd hear.

sure, I’ve been to Egypt and Tunisia and both countries as a single woman with a teen dd I’ve been harassed (as was Dd), chased down the street, cat called and intimidated. I know of numerous other women who have had this happen to in Morocco. Also had it happen to me as a teenager in Iraq and Afghanistan.

other countries I’ve visited such as numerous African countries, Central America, China, Thailand, Many European countries including Iceland I’ve never experienced it. There may well sometimes be male attention but not commonly touching you up in crowded places as you walk down the street attention. And if that did happen in oh, say Iceland for example it would be considered very unusual and the police would take it seriously.

and that’s before we get onto the issues of homosexuality being illegal, women seen as second class citizens or potential terrorist issues.